Locations
Meath Avenue, Chaddesden, Meath Avenue, Derby, DE21
Description
A Derby rapist carried out a “brutal” sex attack on a woman he’d only just met in some bushes in Chaddesden.
Derby Crown Court heard how Michael James’ victim repeatedly screamed for him to stop but gave up knowing he was twice her size and “it would only make things worse”.
The 25-year-old, of Chaddesden, then lied to the police claiming what happened was consensual before making the woman relive her ordeal giving evidence at a trial.
In a statement the victim said she could not look at herself in the mirror and blamed herself at first for what happened. Handing the defendant a 13-year jail term, Recorder Richard Paige said: “This was a brutal rape and despite what happened she was brave enough to go straight to the police to report it.
“You have not shown an ounce of remorse that your actions have had on the victim. (That night) you exchanged messages on Snapchat and then Facetime then agreed to meet up.
"You did meet in Scarborough Rise and she looked for a bench so you could share a cannabis joint.
“You have not shown an ounce of remorse that your actions have had on the victim. (That night) you exchanged messages on Snapchat and then Facetime then agreed to meet up.
"You did meet in Scarborough Rise and she looked for a bench so you could share a cannabis joint.
“There wasn’t one, she says you dragged her into some bushes, you say she went voluntarily and I give you the benefit of the doubt.
"While in the bushes you shared a joint and she described herself as being ‘very stoned, sleepy and drowsy’. You wanted more and she didn’t want more and told you ‘no’ but you told her words to the effect of ‘I am doing this’.
“She shouted at you to stop and get off her, she tried to get away but you stopped her. She said she gave up trying to stop you knowing if she fought back it would get worse. She is petite, it is no exaggeration to say you are twice her size.
“She says she will never get over what you did to her that night. It is likely to stay with her for the rest of her life and it is only her bravery and the work of police officers who should be commended which has seen this happen.
She has suffered severe psychological harm, more than two-and-a-half years later she still suffers flashbacks.”
Caroline Bradley prosecuting, said the rapes happened in Chaddesden in September, 2022. She read out a victim impact statement made by the woman, who bravely attended court to see her sex attacker jailed.
She said: "She did not sleep or eat for weeks and stopped looking after herself. She said she could not look at herself in the mirror and felt dirty. She said she did not want to live and she described a horrible feeling that will not leave her alone.
“She said ‘I will always be reminded of it and this will affect me for the rest of my life. I have this voice in my head telling me I am not good enough for anybody and I will never be loved’.
“She said ‘I blame myself but I am starting to learn it is not my fault’.”
James, of Meath Avenue, denied doing anything wrong. But having heard all of the evidence, a jury unanimously found him guilty of two counts of rape, one count of attempted rape and one count of assault by penetration.
Rebecca Coleman, mitigating, said her client was born in in the USA and moved to the UK as a child but was then taken to Tunisia where he “suffered physical and sexual abuse” before coming back to England.
She said: “He still suffers flashbacks from this childhood trauma and used cocaine and cannabis as a way of blocking this out.
“In terms of the offence, you can see in the pre-sentence report he maintains his innocence but says he is ‘sorry from the bottom of my heart that I made someone feel hurt’.
"He has no previous convictions for any serious or sexual offences.”
As well as the jail sentence, the judge placed the defendant on the sex offender register for life. The 13-year term is made up of 10 years custody plus a three-year extended licence.
It means he will not be eligible to apply for parole until two-third of the way through the 10 year custodial stretch.